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48 | SUMMER 2018 Protecting your car Murphy's Law dictates that something will go wrong with your car the day after the manufacturer's warranty expires, but with a Vehicle Service Agreement (VSA), you won't get stuck paying expensive repair bills. This extended coverage for auto repair also includes things like tow- ing, car rental and roadside assistance. Aleman says this type of coverage is crucial, especially for a pre-owned ve- hicle, as it covers anything mechanically or electrically related. There are diff erent packages and terms that can be tailored to a member's needs and this service can be added at any time, even if your vehicle is fi nanced elsewhere. Protecting your loan The last product is known as Guaranteed Asset Protection (GAP) and off ers piece of mind should you ever become upside down on your loan. If your car is totaled by hail damage, for example, and insur- ance only pays you $10,000, but you still owe $15,000 on the loan, GAP will have you covered. But before you consider purchasing any of these products through a dealer- ship, remember the Credit Union off ers them all at a much lower price (usually 20 to 50 percent less than dealerships, says Aleman). "And almost no one in the country can beat our prices on CLCD coverage," he adds. The Credit Union can also loan mem- bers up to 125 percent of the loan-to- value on the vehicle to ensure those products are easily funded, because, as Aleman says, "As a Credit Union, we're not here to profi t off of our members but to help them." For more information on all of these products, see Page 39. Value-Added Services B efore you drive that new car off the lot, take a minute to think about the responsibilities that come with it. If something were to prevent you from working, how would you keep those payments up? Can you aff ord repairs if something should go wrong with the vehicle? What happens if the car is totaled and it's worth less than you owe? That's where American Airlines Federal Credit Union comes in, with value-added services designed to help protect you, your car and your loan. "I use them myself," says Alex Aleman, a Consumer Lending Analyst with the Credit Union who acts as a liaison with the third-party vendors supplying these options. "Vehicles can break down anytime, and using my VSA warranty, for example, has already paid back in claims more than twice what it originally cost me." Protecting you You are your most valuable asset, and if a debilitating or life-threatening event sidelines you from working, Credit Life and/or Credit Disability (CLCD) Insurance can help free you and your family from fi nancial burden. "I've seen how important Credit Life can be. When I worked in one of our branches, a widow came in to set- tle her late husband's debts, but because he had Credit Life coverage, all of her bills were paid.," Aleman says. You bought your dream car. Now protect it, yourself and your loan.